CAP’s Hot Air Balloon Program New Training Program Launched in New Mexico By Mitzi Palmer oday, more than 230 years Tafter the first hot air balloon took to the skies above the French town of Annonay, people remain intrigued by this unique method of flight. “Hot air ballooning attracts people like crazy,” said 1st Lt. Mike Gallant, head of the Indiana Wing’s balloon program. “Anytime the CAP balloon gets set up, people just appear out of nowhere. Sometimes groups of cars follow us just for pictures and to ask us questions about it.” Cadet Chief Master Sgt. Raily Blankley, left, and Cadet Master Sgt. J.D. Downing hold open the bottom of a hot air balloon for inflation. Blankley belongs to the New Mexico Wing's LBJ Middle School Cadet Squadron, while Downing is a member of the Los Alamos Composite Squadron. Photo by 1st Lt. Ryan M. Stark, New Mexico Wing 44 Civil Air Patrol Volunteer I October-December 2014 Grows Johnson Flight Academy Training Gallant maintains the balloon used for the primary training of cadets interested in hot air balloon flight at the annual Lt. Col. Ray- mond J. Johnson Flight Academy in Mattoon, Illinois. “It’s a team activity in the truest sense. The pilot, passengers and ground crew depend on each other for a safe flight,” Gallant said. “They need plan- ning, communication and coordination to be successful. There is also a lot of preparation prior to launch.” Since the 1970s the Johnson Flight Academy, which just celebrated its 48th anniversary, has been CAP’s go-to program for cadets inter- ested in balloon flight. This year the two-week academy, which also provides hands-on flight training in airplanes and gliders, hosted hot air balloon training for six cadets from five states. “Each cadet is required to learn how to select a launch location, unload, assemble, instruct, disassemble, pack up, load, refuel, understand emergency procedures and ground crew duties, complete detailed weather checks and learn ground school material,” Gallant said. Many cadets and senior members don’t fully understand all that goes into the back-to-basics aspect of hot air balloon flight, he said. “I always saw hot air balloons but never thought I’d ever be flying one,” said Cadet Senior Master Sgt. Elizabeth McMahon of the California Wing’s Palm Springs Composite Squadron 1, who attended Citizens Serving Communities I www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com 45 Cadet Airman Gillian Conley and 2nd Lt. Rachael Gallant prepare the CAP hot air balloon for flight at the 2014 Lt. Col. Raymond J. Johnson Flight Academy in Mattoon, Illinois. Photo by Cadet Airman 1st Class Catherine Gallant, Illinois Wing the Johnson Flight Academy this year. with another airframe, update the text and modules used “It made me want to become a balloon pilot, and I to teach about balloons, eventually incorporate an orien- definitely plan on going back next year,” she said. tation flight portion with balloons and hopefully expand Gallant and his team, which includes Capts. Wayne to have our own hot air balloon pilot academy here in Werner and Sue Louck and 2nd Lt. Rachael Gallant — New Mexico similar to the glider encampment/academy.” Gallant’s daughter, who first attended the academy as a Noyce’s experience with ballooning started in 2002 cadet in 2005 and is now a licensed pilot and senior staff when he was a sales representative for Kodak cameras at member — are part of the Montgolfier Society of Indi- the Albuquerque festival. He soon became a public safety ana, the Ballooning Association of Greater Illinois and officer for the event and then a chase crew member dur- the Balloon Federation of America. ing the off-season. His first flight was in 2011. The CAP balloon has par- “New Mexico has the ticipated in the Indiana State greatest weather to allow Airshow and the Indiana Bal- ballooning practically year- loon Fest to generate interest round, with many visible in the program. balloons in the skyline every morning, so finding a New Mexico Wing’s crew to assist is quite easy,” New Balloon Program he said. “It’s great to show In July, under the leader- cadets how they can ship of Group 800 Com- become more engaged in mander Maj. Ben Noyce, the aerospace activities — New Mexico Wing launched more than just marshaling a new hot air balloon pro- on the flight line. gram during its first CAP Noyce said the new Maj. William Fitzpatrick of the LBJ Middle School Cadet Balloon Ground Crew Clinic. program in New Mexico is Squadron briefs New Mexico Wing cadets on the final day of the During the three-day chase getting positive feedback wing’s first-ever hot air balloon clinic at Balloon Fiesta Park in crew clinic in New Mexico, — not only from CAP Albuquerque. Photo by 1st Lt. Ryan M. Stark, New Mexico Wing globally known as the Hot members but also local res- Air Ballooning Capital of the idents and organizations. World, 18 cadets and four senior members participated. “We are hearing that the cadets are really enjoying the “Each completed the clinic and have continued to serve hands-on work and teamwork required to be a part of a at many flying events, both CAP and non-CAP, logging ground chase crew,” he said. “They also enjoy the full their experience into their crew logbooks — similar to a interaction during the flight, the hands-on work during pilot logbook but for ground crews,” said Noyce, who is setup, the launch, the chase, helping the aircrew with program director of the New Mexico Wing’s hot air bal- navigation and landing and then assisting with the land- loon program and a student pilot. ing and packing up. Noyce has encouraged his fellow squadron members to “It’s a lot of hard work but so worth the experience,” assist as chase crew members in the Albuquerque Inter- he said. national Balloon Fiesta as well as other balloon flying Currently, the ballooning group for the New Mexico events for many years. He said interest in hot air balloon Wing has enrolled three commercial-rated pilots — flight — especially the chase crew element — is growing. Capts. Al Lowenstein, William Manus and Jessica “The overall goal of our ballooning program is to offer Makin, who Noyce said are the keys to the program’s aerospace education and the ability for cadets to work success. L Citizens Serving Communities I www.GoCivilAirPatrol.com 47.